Ubisoft’s stance reignites debate over game ownership in the digital age.
Ubisoft has pushed back against a lawsuit filed over the shutdown of its 2014 online racing game The Crew, arguing in a legal response that buyers were never promised full ownership of the game and only had a “limited license to access” it. The company is seeking to have the case thrown out entirely with a motion to dismiss.
The case was brought forward by two customers who say they were misled into thinking they were purchasing lifetime access to The Crew, Ubisoft’s 2014 online racing title. That game was taken offline permanently in March 2024, rendering it completely unplayable—even for those who still owned physical or digital copies. Unlike its successors, The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest, no offline patch or single-player mode was offered.
Ubisoft’s legal team didn’t hold back in its written response (shared by Polygon) to the court.
“Frustrated with Ubisoft’s recent decision to retire the game following a notice period delineated on the product’s packaging, Plaintiffs apply a kitchen sink approach on behalf of a putative class of nationwide customers, alleging eight causes of action including violations of California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act, as well as common law fraud and breach of warranty claims,” the statement read.
In short, Ubisoft’s position is that players were clearly informed at the time of purchase that they were buying access, not ownership. The company also noted that packaging on both Xbox and PlayStation editions included a capitalised disclaimer stating access to online features could be revoked with 30 days’ notice.
New claims added to the original lawsuit
The original lawsuit, filed in November 2024, claims the plaintiffs believed they were buying the game outright and accuses Ubisoft of misleading marketing. One comparison in the complaint likens the situation to buying a pinball machine only to find the paddles, bumpers, and high score display removed years later.
On 18 March, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint addressing Ubisoft’s response and adding a ninth claim: that Ubisoft violated California law governing gift certificates. They argue that The Crew’s in-game currency meets the definition of a gift card, which legally cannot expire. Since players lost access to those credits when the servers were shut down, they claim that Ubisoft broke the law.
The plaintiffs also submitted photos of The Crew’s packaging, showing an activation code with an expiry date listed as 2099. This, they say, implied the game would remain playable well into the future and undermines Ubisoft’s argument that players should have expected a shutdown. According to the complaint, there was no warning of the game’s end until Ubisoft’s announcement in 2023—meaning the statute of limitations should not apply.
With the amended filing, the case now includes nine separate claims. The plaintiffs are seeking class action status and a jury trial. Ubisoft has until 29 April to respond.
In the wake of The Crew’s removal and the wider debate it sparked about digital ownership, California lawmakers introduced a new bill that would require game sellers to display “clear and conspicuous” notices informing consumers that their access to games could be revoked at any time. Shortly after, Steam updated its store pages with a disclaimer clarifying before proceeding to payment that players are purchasing "a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam.”
